Minolta
Minolta (ミノルタ, minoruta) was a Japanese company that, under one name or another, manufactured cameras from 1929 to 2003. It produced cameras for many film formats, from 16mm film to medium format. In the 1950s Chiyoda, as it was then called, ventured beyond production of cameras and binoculars into business services, especially photocopiers. Most branches of the company were related to optics: the copier branch, the exposure meter branch, etc. Minolta was succeeded by Konica Minolta after the merger with Konica in 2003. abbreviated illustrated contents table : History Nichidoku period The company was founded in Osaka on November 11, 1928 by Kazuo Tashima, under the name Nichidoku Shashinki Shōten (日独写真機商店, meaning Japan-German Camera Store). Date: Tashima, Watakushi no rirekisho, quoted in Tanimura, p.96 of no.12. The address of the company in the early 1930s was Ōsaka-shi Higashi-ku Kita-kyūtarō-machi 3-chōme 15-banchi Mishina Building (大阪市東区北久太郎町三丁目十五番地三品ビルヂング内). Sources: advertisements dated 1930 to 1932 reproduced in Hagiya, p.9 of no.12, trademark publication (商標広告) no.S08-004434 for the name "MINOLTA" (ミノルタ), dated 1933, available in the IPDL trademark database, and patent for the Crown E shutter dated 1934, reproduced in Tanimura, pp.5–7 of no.131, and on p.19 of no.12. Tashima got support from the German camera technicians Billy Neumann and Willy Heilemann, and the first cameras used lenses and shutters imported from Germany. A plant was built in Mukogawa (武庫川), in the prefecture of Hyōgo (兵庫県). Awano, p.6 of no.12. The first camera produced by the company was the Nifcarette released in 1929. It was followed by the Nifcaklapp and Nifcasport folding cameras and by the Nifca-Dox strut-folder, all taking film plates or pack film. At this early period, all the cameras were directly advertised and distributed by the company, which was using a round logo with the letters N'', ''D, PH and Co assembled inside a circle, surely for Nichi Doku Photo Company. Directly advertised and distributed by the company: advertisements dated 1930 and 1931 reproduced in Hagiya, p.9 of no.12, and in Awano, p.6 of the same magazine, were placed by Nichidoku Shashinki Shōten and have the Nichidoku logo, and all the brand names were clearly owned by the company. In 1930, a strike occurred in the Mukogawa plant, whose director was Willy Heilemann. Heilemann dismissed all the strikers and opposed Tashima, who was favouring more moderate measures. Kikan Classic Camera 14, p.14. Molta period In 1931 the company was transformed into a stock corporation named Molta Gōshi-gaisha (モルタ合資会社), where Molta is an abbreviation of the German "Mechanismus Optik und Linsen von Tashima" ("Mechanism, Optics and Lenses by Tashima"). Taniguchi, p.276 of no.77 (article also reproduced in Tanimura, p.8 of no.116), Francesch, p.19. The mention of Germany disappeared from the company name, and Heilemann and Neumann left the company respectively in November 1931 and in 1932, to found their own Neumann & Heilemann company, taking some employees with them. Tashima, Watakushi no rirekisho, quoted in Andō, p.2 of no.127. The dates are repeated in Tanimura, p.96 of no.12, Awano, p.6 of the same magazine. The camera range was accordingly renamed: the Nifcarette became the Sirius Bebe, the Nifcaklapp became the Sirius and the Nifcasport became the Arcadia. The cameras were still distributed by the company itself for a couple of years, and the Sirius and Arcadia were also distributed by Misuzu Shōkai as the Lomax and Eaton. Molta later entered an agreement with the Tokyo-based distributor Asanuma Shōkai, and the Sirius and Arcadia plate cameras were replaced by the Happy (whose brand name was owned by Asanuma). The Asanuma company would distribute the Happy and Minolta cameras and assume all the advertising until 1945. All the advertisements for the Minolta or Happy cameras from the mid-1930s to 1945 were placed by Asanuma Shōkai. The name Minolta was applied for and registered in 1933, Trademark registration (商標登録) no.246579, for the name "MINOLTA" (ミノルタ), in the IPDL trademark database. and it was first used for a camera plainly called Minolta, inspired by the Plaubel Makina. A round MTS logo appeared at the same time, perhaps standing for "Molta Tashima" or "Minolta Tashima". Many sources say that the Minolta name was crafted from "Mechanismus, Instrumente, Optik und Linsen von Tashima" ("Mechanism, Instruments, Optics and Lenses by Tashima") but it is more likely a backronym, inspired by (i) minoru ta (稔る田), "ripening rice-fields" (a strong image of health and fruitfulness in Japan, and in Japanese pronounced identically to "Minolta"), and (ii) "Molta" itself. The etymology minoru ta (稔る田) is mentioned in Taniguchi, p.276 of no.77 (article also reproduced in Tanimura, p.8 of no.116). this Japanese page wonders if minoru ta was adapter from moru ta written 盛る田. All the later model names included the word "Minolta", but the company name and brand name would differ until 1962. In 1934, the company released the Minolta Vest, originally designed by Ehira Nobujirō, with an innovative system of collapsible boxes replacing the bellows. The Semi Minolta was announced at the very end of 1934 and sold from 1935. It was the second or third 4.5×6cm camera made in Japan. The Semi Prince came first and the Semi Proud and Semi Minolta closely followed. In 1936, the company created the subsidiary Nippon Kōgaku Kikai Kenkyūjo (日本光学機械研究所, meaning Japanese Opto-mechanical Research Institute) in the city of Amagasaki (尼崎市), in the Hyōgo prefecture, to manufacture the bakelite cameras such as the Minolta Vest, Minolta Six and Baby Minolta. Awano, p.7 of no.12, Francesch, p.23. This subsidiary was soon merged into the main company, and became the Amagasaki plant. Awano, p.7 of no.12, Francesch, p.23. The address is given as Amagasaki-shi Nanba (尼ヶ崎市難波) by the dated April 1943. In February 1937, the company opened a third plant in the city of Sakai (堺市), in the Osaka prefecture. Awano, p.7 of no.12, Francesch, p.25. From 1937 to 1945 In September 1937, the company became Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō K.K. (千代田光学精工 , meaning Chiyoda Optics and Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), abbreviated "Chiyoko" (千代光) on some logos and publications. Date: Awano, p.7 of no.12, Francesch, p.25. (The word Chiyoda was created with the characters 千代, meaning "one thousand generations" and 田, the first character of Tashima's name; it conveys the meaning that Tashima's company will last a thousand generations.) Kikan Classic Camera 14, p.15. (Awano, p.7 of no.12, says that the name is unexplained.) The same year 1937, the company established closer ties with Asanuma Shōkai, which quit distributing other cameras to concentrate exclusively on cameras from the Chiyoda company. This association became so close that many customers believed that the Minolta cameras were made by Asanuma; Taniguchi, p.276 of no.77 (document also reproduced in Tanimura, p.8 of no.116), and Awano, p.7 of no.12. the agreement lasted until the end of the war, but the two companies retained some commercial contacts for some time afterwards. See for example the 1952 advertisement by Asanuma Shōkai for the Minolta Semi P reproduced in , p.194. The two companies organized a show in December in the Tōkyō Kaikan (東京会館, a reception lounge in Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace) to celebrate the new agreement. Taniguchi, p.276 of no.77 (document also reproduced in Tanimura, p.8 of no.116), and Awano, p.7 of no.12 (specifying that the show was inaugurated on December 12, 1937). Tashima Gizō says November in the interview by Saeki on p.77 of the same magazine, certainly by mistake. Three expensive and advanced new models were displayed at this show: the Auto Semi Minolta was the first serial produced Japanese camera with a combined range and viewfinder, the Auto Press Minolta (an evolution of the Minolta and Auto Minolta Makina copy) was the first Japanese camera synchronized for flash and the Minoltaflex was the second Japanese 6×6 TLR. The first Japanese 6×6 TLR was the Prince Flex. It seems that the taking lens of the Minoltaflex was made by the company, surely in the Sakai plant — these were perhaps the first lenses made by Chiyoda. Kikan Classic Camera 14, p.38, says that the Minolta Anastigmat Nippon viewing lens of the Minoltaflex (I) was made by Chiyoda. The same source says on p.15 that the Sakai plant produced lenses from 1937, and this is also found in Francesch, p.25. The production of Rokkor lenses began in 1940, but they were only for military use. Date: Ema, p.90 of no.12. It also produced military ordnance, including hand-held cameras for aerial reconnaissance. The civilian camera production was stopped around 1943. Tanimura, p.21 of no.12 (about the Semi Minolta). At about that time, the company apparently made one or more prototypes of an interchangeable-lens TLR camera, which was the first 6×6 TLR in the world to have interchangeable lenses. The three original plants of Mukogawa, Amagasaki, Sakai ended up participating to the war effort. Awano, p.7 of no.12. A fourth plant was opened in Komatsu (小松) in 1939, initially specialized in machine tools. Francesch, p.26. In 1942, the Japanese Navy asked the company to open a glass melting facility; the new plant was built in Itami and only operational in 1944. Francesch, p.27, says July 1942 and January 1944; Ema, p.93 of no.12, says January 1942 and June 1944. In 1943, the company also took over Fujimoto's plant in the city of Nishinomiya (the former Neumann & Heilemann factory), which became Chiyoda's Nishinomiya (西宮) plant. Tanimura, p.99 of no.12. It perhaps continued the production of Fujimoto leaf shutters for a short time. The Rapidex shutter, developed by Fujimoto, is attributed to Chiyoda in the 1943 government inquiry, perhaps for that reason. Source: , shutter item 18-P-27. The Mukogawa, Amagasaki and Komatsu (小松) plants were destroyed by aerial bombing. Francesch, p.27, Awano, p.7 of no.12. The Sakai, Itami and Nishinomiya plants survived the war, as well as a dispersal plant in Honsha (本社). Sakai, Itami, Honsha: Awano, p.7 of no.12. Sakai, Itami, Nishinomiya: Francesch, p.27. This is confirmed for Nishinomiya by Tanimura, p.99 of no.12. Early postwar period The company resumed camera production shortly after the war with the Semi Minolta III. This camera was equipped with a Rokkor 75/3.5 that was the first Japanese coated lens commercially available, and also the first lens made by the company for civilian use. According to this page of the Konica Minolta official website. The company also absorbed the optical section of the Toyokawa Navy Arsenal (Aichi prefecture), which became the Toyokawa (豊川) plant in November 1946. Optical section of the Toyokawa Navy Arsenal: Awano, p.7 of no.12. Date: Francesch, p.29. In 1950, Chiyoda released the Konan-16 Automat, a subminiature camera that used its own 16mm film format. Throughout the 1950s, the range consisted of TLR cameras, 4.5×6 folders, 35mm viewfinder and rangefinder cameras and 16mm subminiature cameras. Introduction of the SLR In 1958 Chiyoda produced its first planetarium projection apparatus Corporate profile of Konica Minolta Planetarium Co., Ltd. The first planetarium apparatus made in Japan was made by Gotō Kōgaku: see the history page of Goto Inc. and in the same year it introduced the SR-2, its first 35mm SLR camera and one of the first to combine several features of the modern SLR like pentaprism viewfinder, instant-return mirror, bayonet mount lenses, lever advance and auto-resetting frame counter. In 1959 Chiyoda started to produce photocomposing machines, copiers, and special projectors. Some of these products are still (2007) produced by its successor Konica Minolta. In 1962 the company name became Minolta Camera K.K. (ミノルタカメラ , meaning Minolta Camera Co.), unified with the brand name. A significant camera launch of that year was the introduction of Minolta's first SLR with built-in CdS meter, the Minolta SR-7. That effort lead to the production of versatile and sensitive CdS-sensor-based light meters, a quite successful chapter in the company's history. Minolta's successor Konica Minolta is still making high precision light measuring instruments. In 1964 the company started that business with a CdS-meter for photography, the View Meter 9. In 1968 the company's meters were renowned so that American Astronauts used the special Minolta Space Meter as measuring accessory for the cameras they used in the Apollo spaceships and on the Moon. Further light and colour meters were developed later. The Auto-Meter color measuring instruments and the Flash Meter series were renowned among photography professionals. The Minolta SR-T series of SLR cameras introduced in 1966 was a big success and the Minolta SR-T 101 was the world's best selling camera of its type in its time. Cooperation with Leitz Minolta signed a cooperation agreement with Leitz in June 1972. Date: Francesch, p.179. The first products resulting from this appeared in 1974: the Minolta XE SLR and the Leica CL rangefinder camera (sold in Japan as the Leitz Minolta CL). The XE was the basis for the 1977 Leica R3. The final result of the association with Leitz was the Minolta XD-11 (the same as XD-7, and the basis of the Leica R4). It was the first 35mm SLR camera combining both aperture priority and shutter priority automatic exposure modes. Many Rokkor lenses of the new MD series, usable in both automatic modes, were produced for this exciting camera. In 1981, Minolta launched the CLE, a rangefinder camera with M-mount, the first one to have (aperture-priority) automatic exposure. The metering system was of the "TTL OTF" type (through the lens, reflected off the film), first introduced by Olympus in 1975 on the OM-2 SLR camera. The CLE was also the first Minolta camera to have TTL flash automation, together with the X-700 SLR introduced the same year. After the heady days of the XD/XE series, the X-700 marked a definite return to the amateur-level market. While the new camera had TTL flash, it was equipped with only a 1/60s maximum flash synch and an ordinary cloth horizontal-travel shutter, and the interior mechanisms utilized more cost-saving plastics. With a large investment in a new autofocus SLR design, Minolta decided to withdraw from building professional-level manual-focus SLR cameras. In 1982 the company's founder Kazuo Tashima stepped down as president of the company, and his son Hideo Tashima became his successor. Kazuo Tashima stayed in the company as chairman of the board until his death in 1985, at the age of 85. The Nishinomiya plant, which hosted research and development activities as well as a service center, was closed in April 1985. Tanimura, p.99 of no.12. Automation The Minolta 7000 AF SLR camera was introduced in 1985. It was the world's first "in-body" autofocus SLR. Before this time manufacturers had dabbled with lenses that focused themselves but that fitted their existing, manual-focus SLR cameras. Unlike other manufacturers, Minolta invested much of its resources in the new autofocus cameras, at the expense of its manual focus SLRs, which were repositioned as amateur level cameras. It was the first manufacturer to put the mechanism and electronics for the autofocus system into its SLR camera bodies and so the modern SLR was born. Konica had been the first to put autofocus into a 35mm camera, but it was a fixed lens "compact" camera; and Polaroid had been the first to put autofocus into an SLR camera, but it neither was 35mm nor was an interchangeable lens design. The rest of the camera had an advanced design, with liquid crystal screen display, built-in film winder, and a body built largely of plastics. For five years beginning in 1985, Minolta was the biggest seller of SLR cameras in the world , because of the 7000 and the later Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum system. However Minolta did not hang on to its technological lead for long as Canon and Nikon both introduced new autofocus designs of their own, with a wide array of new lenses and professional bodies. Minolta in turn tended to concentrate on the affordable end of the SLR market, and sought revolutionary rather than evolutionary changes. Among camera aficionados, Minolta was known both for its very high performance-to-price ratio and its constantly changing array of new models. After popularizing the plastic-bodied, push-button-controlled SLR with the 7000, and a relatively unsuccessful line of complex 35mm SLRs with a electronic 'expansion card' feature, the company moved towards a more traditional user interface in the mid-90s with the 600si Classic. This interface was carried forward into its popular pro-level Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum 9 and later, the Maxxum 7. Unfortunately for Minolta, its autofocus design was found to infringe on the patents of Honeywell, a U.S. corporation. After protracted litigation, Minolta in 1991 was ordered to pay Honeywell damages, penalties, trial costs and other expenses in a final amount of 127.6 million dollars. Like other camera manufacturers, Minolta faced difficulties in building low-priced, consumer level cameras, though its emphasis on this sector of the market may have affected the company more than some other brands. The company was one of the first to offshore production of its cameras from Japan to Malaysia, China, and other countries offering less expensive labor costs. Minolta occasionally redesigned parts in existing models with less expensive materials, or introduced new, less expensive designs, all in an effort to cut costs. The company began offering consumer-level digital cameras in the late 1990s. With the DiMage X, Minolta solved the problem of the protruding optical zoom lens on pocket digicams. Its folded lens design allows an optical zoom lens to be totally contained within the body of the camera. This makes the cameras that use this design truly pocketable, faster to turn on and better protected from knocks and damage. Minolta released two too expensive but innovative DSLRs for commercial markets (not professional photographers) before other makers: : 1995 Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum RD-175 / Agfa ActionCam : 1999 Minolta Vectis RD-3000 They did not sell too well and did not lead nor define the market for digital SLRs, but have maintained a cult status among some Minolta collectors. As a result, Minolta has been criticized for its slowness to bring out modern, competitive digital SLR cameras for the popular SLR photography market, compatible with the many popular Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum-mount lenses in use. In late November 2004, the new Konica Minolta company finally released the much anticipated Konica Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum 7D Digital SLR and the innovation continued. What sets the 7D DSLR apart from the competition is the built-in image stabilization which works with any electronic autofocus lens attached to the camera body. Konica Minolta: too little, too late... In October 2003 Minolta merged with Konica to form Konica Minolta. All new cameras after that time were badged as Konica Minolta, although, with reference to camera designs, Minolta remained the dominant partner. As of spring 2006, Konica Minolta has withdrawn from the camera business entirely. The digital camera manufacturing assets have been acquired by Sony, but film camera production is ceasing, and the film and mini-lab divisions are set to close within a year. Konica Minolta now is solely a business servicer with no photo division. Digital DSLR * Minolta RD models * RD-175 using the standard Minolta A-mount autofocus lenses for Minolta's 35mm AF SLRs * Dimâge RD-3000 using the Minolta V-mount lenses of the Vectis APS SLRs S-1 and S-100 newer cameras, see Konica Minolta (Dynax/Maxxum 5D and Dynax/Maxxum 7D) interchangeable lens/sensor module * Minolta Dimâge EX body equipped with different lens/sensor modules: ** Minolta Dimâge EX Wide ** Minolta Dimâge EX Zoom Fixed Lens Minolta and Konica Minolta used the DiMAGE name-plate on nearly all its original fixed lens digital cameras. For some early Minolta digicams the badge Dimâge was used instead. All have auto-focus and nearly all a zoom lens. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/3856703408_11cf8666e5_m.jpg * Minolta Dimâge series: ** sophisticated models *** Minolta Dimâge V - separate lens/sensor from body/electronics *** Minolta Dimâge EX - see above ("interchangeable lens/sensor module") ** simple models (made by Skanhex): *** Minolta Dimâge 2300 *** Minolta Dimâge 2330 Zoom * Minolta DiMAGE 5/7/A-Series: TTL EVF ~7x ZLR PASM RAW/JPG/TIF ** Minolta DiMAGE 5 - 3mp ** Minolta DiMAGE 7 - 5mp ** Minolta DiMAGE 7ug - 5mp ** Minolta DiMAGE 7i - 5mp ** Minolta DiMAGE 7Hi - 5mp ** Minolta DiMAGE A1 - 5mp, world's first camera with sensor-based anti-shake * Minolta DiMAGE E-Series: ** Minolta DiMAGE E201 ** Minolta DiMAGE E203 ** Minolta DiMAGE E223 ** Minolta DiMAGE E323 * Minolta DiMAGE F-Series: ** Minolta DiMAGE F100 ** Minolta DiMAGE F200 ** Minolta DiMAGE F300 * Minolta DiMAGE S-Series: ** Minolta DiMAGE S304 ** Minolta DiMAGE S404 ** Minolta DiMAGE S414 * Minolta DiMAGE X-Series: ** Minolta DiMAGE X ** Minolta DiMAGE Xi ** Minolta DiMAGE Xt ** Minolta DiMAGE Xt Biz ** Minolta DiMAGE X20 newer digital cameras, especially DiMAGE Z-series, G-Series, DG-Series, further E-, X- and A-models, see Konica Minolta 35mm film Autofocus SLR http://static.flickr.com/19/22827037_1c2a05c38e_m.jpg The Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum (Alpha in Japan and China, Maxxum in the Americas, Dynax in Europe, Africa and Asia) is a line of 35mm film SLR cameras built from 1985 to 2000 - some "new old stock" may still be available. The lenses and flash accessories for these are not compatible with the previous Minolta SR, SR T, and X-series of manual focus 35mm film SLR cameras, lenses and flashes. The last models appeared badged as "Minolta" despite of the merger with Konica in 2003. Many of these models are alternatively labeled Alpha, Dynax or Maxxum and only a few model numbers are location-specific where an equivalent model number in another area of distribution uses another model number: : If anyone knows of additional models and or knows which of these are equivalent across the Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum divide, please pitch in! Note that early models were also named "AF". Manual focus SLR http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/458940157_c02b4b9ff9_m.jpg : http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2502151427_1e87a34f93_m.jpg : 1) 3rd area: Minolta used this expression to indicate all other export markets than north America and Europe. 2) Taken from Minolta Fifty Years Chronicle (Minolta, November 1978) and "70 Jahre Minolta Kameratechnik" (Scheibel, 1999, ISBN 3-89506-191-3). 3) The Minolta ER was a fixed lens SLR and thus not part of the Minolta SR system. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4405580449_f7d53ee136_m.jpg Rangefinder, interchangeable lens * Minolta 35 * Minolta 35 II and IIB * Minolta Super A * Minolta Sky * Leitz Minolta CL * Minolta CLE Rangefinder, fixed lens http://static.flickr.com/53/128897668_bef0e6b667_m.jpg Viewfinder http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4411062910_0b3e26ce88_m.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3663/3677360877_66105874d6_m_d.jpg For newer Minolta zoom cameras, see Konica Minolta 126 film http://farm1.static.flickr.com/111/271901638_f21afeb822_m.jpg * Minolta Autopak 400-X * Minolta Autopak 500 / Ilford Monarch / Revuematic 500 * Minolta Autopak 550 * Minolta Autopak 600-X * Minolta Autopak 700 * Minolta Autopak 800 * Revere 3M Automatic 1034 Rapid film * Minolta 24 Rapid Smaller film formats 16mm film SLR * Minolta Auto-Zoom-X 16mm film subminiature http://static.flickr.com/108/271896428_c93b2494f1_m.jpg * Konan-16 Automat * Stereo Konan-16 * Minolta-16 * Minolta 16 Automat * Minolta 16 Cds * Minolta-16 EE * Minolta-16 EE2 * Minolta-16 II * Minolta-16 MG * Minolta-16 MG-S * Minolta-16 P * Minolta-16 Ps * Minolta 16 QT * Minolta Sonocon 16 MB-ZA * CM-16 prototype (attribution is unsure) 110 film SLR * Minolta 110 Zoom SLR * Minolta 110 Zoom SLR Mark II 110 film pocket/compact http://static.flickr.com/79/271915282_a1c7c1e036_m.jpg * Pocket Autopak 200 * Pocket Autopak 230 * Pocket Autopak 250 * Pocket Autopak 270 * Pocket Autopak 430E * Pocket Autopak 430Ex * Pocket Autopak 440Ex * Pocket Autopak 450E * Pocket Autopak 450Ex * Pocket Autopak 460T * Pocket Autopak 460Tx * Pocket Autopak 50 * Pocket Autopak 70 * Pocket Pak 40 * Pocket Pak 440-E * Pocket Pak 60 * Weathermatic-A underwater camera Disc film * Minolta ac 101 Courrèges * Minolta ac 301 Courrèges * Minolta Disc-5 * Minolta Disc-7 * Minolta Disc-S * Minolta Disc-K APS film SLR * Vectis S-100 * Vectis S-1 APS film compact http://static.flickr.com/119/271906455_647ee64e60_m.jpg * Vectis 20 * Vectis 25 * Vectis 30 * Vectis 40 * Vectis 100 BF * Vectis 200 * Vectis 260 * Vectis 300 * Vectis 300L * Vectis 2000 * Vectis 3000 * Minolta Vectis GX-1 * Vectis GX-2 * Vectis GX-3 * Vectis GX-4 waterproof camera * Vectis UC * Vectis Weathermatic Zoom underwater camera 120 film 4.5×6 folding * Semi Minolta (I) * Semi Minolta II * Auto Semi Minolta * Semi Minolta III A/B/C * Semi Minolta P or Minolta Semi P 6×6 collapsible * Minolta Six 6×6 TLR * Minoltaflex (I), 1937 * Minoltaflex Automat, 1941 * Minoltaflex Automat prototypes, c.1943 to 1950 * Minoltaflex II * Minoltaflex IIB * Minoltaflex III * Minoltacord * Minoltacord Automat * Minolta Autocord * Minolta Autocord CDS I * Minolta Autocord CDS II * Minolta Autocord CDS III * Minolta Autocord I * Minolta Autocord II * Minolta Autocord III * Minolta Autocord L * Minolta Autocord MXS * Minolta Autocord MXV * Minolta Autocord RA * Minolta Autocord RB * Minolta Autocord RG * Minolta Autocord RI 6×6 SLR * Minolta SR66 (1968, prototype) 127 film 4×6.5 folding * Nifcarette * Sirius Bebe 4×6.5 collapsible * Minolta Vest or Best * Baby Minolta 4×4 TLR * Minolta Miniflex Plate film 6.5×9 folding bed * Nifcaklapp * Nifcasport * Sirius and Lomax * Arcadia and Eaton * Happy 6.5×9 strut folding * Nifca-Dox * Minolta * Autofocus Minolta and Auto Minolta * Auto Press Minolta Instant film * Minolta Instant Pro Shutters * Lidex * Crown * KTI-Tiyoko * KOO-Tiyoko Lenses * Rokkor Notable patents and trademark registrations * Patent no.S8-3457 for a metal focal-plane shutter, filed in November 1932 and granted in 1933, drawn by Ehira Nobujirō (founder of Ehira) Nakagawa, p.120 of no.51. * Trademark publication for the name "MINOLTA" (ミノルタ). The trademark was applied for (商標出現) on 18 January 1933 (no.S08-000723), published (商標広告) on 1 June 1933 (no.S08-004434) and registered (商標登録) on 20 September 1933 (no.0246579). Available in the IPDL trademark database. Notes Bibliography * Andō Yoshinobu (安藤嘉信). "Arukadia no nazo" (アルカデリアの謎, Arcadia mystery). In no.127 (January 1988). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. * * Awano Mikio (粟野幹男). "Minoruta ryakushi" (ミノルタ略史, Minolta short history). Pp.6–8. * * * Ema Hiroshi (江間宏). "Rokkōru renzu no hanashi" (ロッコールレンズの話, Rokkor lens stories). Pp.90–3. * * Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Kōkoku ni miru Minoruta kamera no rekishi" (広告に見るミノルタカメラの歴史, Minolta camera history seen through the advertisements). Pp.9–12. * * * Nakagawa Chū (中川忠). "Metaru fōkaru purēn shattā no hensen (dai-ikkai)" (メタルフォーカルプレーンシャッターの変遷第１回, Evolution of the metal focal-plane shutter 1). Pp.118–22. * Saeki Kakugorō (佐伯恪五郎). "Tashima Gizō-shi ni kiku" (田嶋義三氏に聞く, "Asking Tashima Gizō"). Pp.76–9. * * Taniguchi Masao (谷口匡男), from the commercial department (営業部) of Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō. "Minoruta kamera no sakujitsu, konnichi" (ミノルタ・カメラの昨日、今日, Minolta cameras, yesterday and today). In Shashin Kōgyō no.77 (September 1958). Pp.275–9. (The two first pages of this document, on pre-1937 cameras, are also reproduced in Tanimura, p.8 of no.116.) * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Neumann & Heilemann: kieta ashiato, Minoruta setsuritsu to sono ato no karera wo otte" (Neumann & Heilemann 消えた足跡・ミノルタ設立とその後の彼等を追って, On the traces of Neumann & Heilemann at the founding of Minolta and afterwards.) Pp.96–9. * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minoruta I-gata gaibun." (セミミノルタⅠ型外聞, Things heard about the Semi Minolta I) In no.131 (May 1988). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Minoruta I-gata to II-gata" (セミミノルタⅠ型とⅡ型, "Semi Minolta I and II"). In no. 116 (February 1987). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. (Contains a reproduction of Taniguchi's article in Shashin Kōgyō no.77.) * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Supuringu kamera " (スプリングカメラ<セミミノルタ>, 'Semi Minolta' self-erecting camera). Pp.19–24. Links General links In English: * Minolta-35 Rangefinder Cameras * The Rokkor Files, on Minolta manual focus cameras and lenses * Dennis Lohmann's site, with several product overviews * The Minolta Users' Group, with several several overviews * Camera pages with a list of discontinued products at the Konica Minolta official English website * Minolta at pbase * Variations in Minolta 16 cameras and manuals * Variations in Minolta 110 cameras and manuals * Minolta TC-1 camera and Minolta TC-1 manuals * Minolta cameras using 110 film at Subclub * Minolta film SLR user group at Shutterbug's forum * Minolta Cameras Price Guide at CollectiBlend In French : * Minolta cameras and user manuals at Sylvain Halgand's www.collection-appareils.fr * Minolta page at Collection G. Even's site In German: * www.minolta-forum.de, unofficial forum for Minolta users * Minolta product overview at the Kefk camera site * Dennis Lohmann's Rokkor Blog (German) In Japanese: * Camera history official website * Minoltan website, with a history page showing all the Minolta logos * Syoji Nishida's site * Camera history at the Konica Minolta official Japanese site * Minolta collection in the go-tatsu website User manuals * Free Minolta manuals * Minolta instruction manuals at Orphancameras.com Category: Japanese camera makers Category: Japanese lens makers Category: meter makers *